Robert Louis Stevenson

My Shadow Poem by Robert Louis Stevenson

From Child's Garden of Verses

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow--Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,And he sometimes goes so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.He stays so close behind me, he's a coward you can see;I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Comments about this poem (My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson )

I also learned and memorized this wonderful poem as a small child and can remember my parents being so proud that I was made to recite it to extended family one Thanksgiving. Thanks, to Sunprincess for helping to bring this old favorite to this old mind of mine! ! ! !
(Report)Reply

I am in my fifties now, but as a small child and very sick for 2 months, I was given a poem book to read to help pass the time. This was one of the poems that I memorized from Robert Lewis Stevenson's writtings. It has been one of my favorites to resite over the years to my grandchildren.
Over the years to poem book waas lost, but i realized that i could now find them on the internet. Who ever put this information together, Thank you
(Report)Reply